Interpretive Summary: Can circularity support net-zero agriculture: an exploratory case
By: Tim McAllister, Ben Ellert, Henry Janzen
Implications
- A durable net-zero Canadian agriculture by 2050 is a formidable challenge, even if circularity principles are employed.
- A net-zero target gives impetus to restructure agricultural land use and livestock systems for multiple societal aims.
- A target of net-zero by 2050 demands scientific tools and infrastructure to verify progress.
Introduction
Emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), notably CO2 from fossil fuel combustion, are increasingly altering the radiative balance of Earth’s atmosphere, leading to dangerous shifts in global climate (Ripple et al., 2024). In response to this human-inflicted threat, Canada, like other countries, has committed to drastically curtailing its agricultural emissions, having set a target of net-zero emissions by 2050 (Government of Canada, 2024). Currently, agriculture accounts for about 10% of Canada’s annual GHG emissions (Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2024a). Globally, Canada ranks among the 10 nations with the highest agricultural GHG emissions (Sutton et al., 2024). As a result, agricultural sectors in Canada are developing strategies in an effort to reach net-zero emission targets by 2050 (e.g., Dairy Farmers of Canada; Canadian Alliance for Net-Zero Agri-food).
Read more in Animal Frontiers: Advancing the Circularity of Livestock Production.
